Bill 212 is Undemocratic. We…

Bill 212 is Undemocratic. We voted for a mayor and a Councillor who pledged support for safe streets in our city. Ripping out downtown bike lanes will make our streets lethal for cyclists. Why is the Provincial government trying to override municipal jurisdiction over our streets?
10% of trips downtown are made by bike. it is actually the best way to get around. It’s the quickest, healthiest, the least polluting and contributes the least towards congestion. But it has to be safe for people to do it. If bike lanes are removed and cycling is made unsafe, I will be forced to leave my bike at home and take my car which will add to congestion.
Downtown condo towers are being designed to be taller and taller in order to meet housing targets. And they are being given exemptions on how many parking spaces they are providing. The assumption is that new downtown residents are going to cycle rather than drive. That only works when there is sufficient, safe cycling infrastructure.
Here is a quote from Doug Ford when he appeared on TVO in 2017 after riding a bike in Toronto: “You’re nervous when there’s no bike lanes. At least I was. We have to do everything we can to make sure there’s never a death in the city.” So what is it? Do you care about the lives of Ontarians? Or would you rather pander to a few cranky suburban voters who mistakenly think that removing bike lanes will magically make downtown traffic disappear?
This is backwards, not forward thinking. I just watched the city spend 6 months building permanent traffic flow infrastructure at the Bloor/Huron intersection. Now it’s going to be ripped out? Waste of our money, waste of our time. And ultimately if it is removed, it will be rebuilt once this provincial government is voted out of office.
Don’t waste our time, our money, our lives on a fantasy that downtown traffic will disappear. The only way we will be able to commute more efficiently is if more of us cycle, walk and take transit. And that will only happen if we continue to look forward and plan accordingly.